DSC 1033 - Weapons of Mass Destruction

College of Public Safety Administration

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Spring 2021 (585)

Requisites

Permission of the Program

Course Description

This course introduces participants to various types of weapons of mass destruction. The student will be introduced to basic principles of weapons of mass destruction recognition, identification, decontamination, and treatment protocols. The student will understand the importance of personal protective equipment and its proper uses and understand the toxicology, physical, and chemical properties associated with weapons of mass destruction.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will demonstrate the basic techniques for recognizing and identifying weapons of mass destruction by:
    1. describing the toxicological, physical and chemical properties associated with weapons of mass destruction.
    2. describing potential signs and symptoms associated with chemical, biological and radiation exposures.
    3. explaining the role detection and monitoring equipment plays in recognition and identification of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and energetics (CBRNE) materials.
    4. exploring the importance of proper personal protective equipment when CBRNE weapons are suspected.
  2. The student will demonstrate the basic tenets of patient and responder decontamination by:
    1. describing the procedures and equipment necessary for responding to and decontaminating victims and responders in mass casualty incidents involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials.
    2. explaining the primary differences in the response to chemical, biological and radiological incidents including the properties, characteristics, medical effects, and time to respond to the agents involved.
    3. describing the special decontamination considerations required if a radiological dispersal device (RDD) is deployed.
  3. The student will demonstrate the roles and responsibilities of local, state and federal agencies in terrorism investigations and terrorism response by:
    1. describing the unique characteristics of investigating terrorist activity and methods of communication between local, state, and federal investigative organizations.
    2. identifying the basic considerations investigators should make when terrorist activity is suspected.
    3. describing basic procedures that should be followed when investigators encounter a situation involving terrorists.
    4. explaining the basic steps in the terrorism investigation process.
  4. The student will identify the techniques for assessing a jurisdiction’s vulnerability to a terrorist attack involving a weapon of mass destruction by:
    1. describing appropriate vulnerability assessment methods in group-play.
    2. describing hazard mapping as a risk assessment tool.
    3. describing a threat assessment within the community describing the process for risk reduction program evaluation.
    4. evaluating a risk reduction program.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

C&I 3/8/05, BOT 4/19/05, Effective 20051(0355). Submitted as DSC 1315; State assigned new number. 3 Year Review 2008. C&I Approval: 03/08/2005, BOT Approval: 04/19/2005, Effective Term: Fall 2005 (355).
C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2021 (585)

Related Programs

  1. Homeland Security (HLS-CT) (625) (Active)
  2. Homeland Security and Emergency Management (EAM-AS) (640) (Active)
  3. Public Safety Administration (PSA-TR) (670) (Active)